************************************************************
The Government Vaccination Programme (GVP) 2011/12 will provide free influenza vaccinations to eligible groups in public hospitals and clinics as well as in residential care homes (RCHs) for the elderly and disabled from November 1, 2011.
Making the announcement, a spokesman for the Department of Health (DH) said the programme would see the expansion of target groups to include those aged 50-64 on Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA), and persons who are both obese (Body Mass Index 30 or above) and on CSSA. Eligible groups for free influenza vaccinations under this year's GVP will include:
* Elderly persons living in residential care homes;
* Long-stay residents of institutions for the disabled;
* Elderly persons aged 65 years or above with chronic medical problems requiring follow-up in public clinics;
* Persons aged 50 years or above receiving CSSA;
* Persons under 65 years with chronic medical problems who are on CSSA, and some long-stay Hospital Authority (HA) in-patients with chronic medical problems;
* Health care workers of DH, HA and other Government departments, as well as health care workers in elderly homes or institutions for the disabled;
* Children between the ages of 6 months and less than 6 years from families receiving CSSA;
* All pregnant women receiving CSSA;
* Poultry workers or staff who may be involved in the poultry culling operations; and
* Pig farmers and pig-slaughtering industry personnel.
Eligible persons may receive the vaccinations from DH or HA clinics. Residents and staff of RCHs for the elderly and disabled will receive free vaccinations in their institutions by private doctors enrolled as Visiting Medical Officers under the Residential Care Home Vaccination Programme.
In addition, free pneumococcal vaccine will be provided for those residents living in RCHs for the elderly, elderly residents aged 65 years or above in RCHs for the disabled, those elderly with chronic medical problems requiring follow-up in public clinics; and those elderly receiving CSSA, if they have not received the vaccination previously.
Subsidised vaccination has also been provided through private doctors to eligible children and elderly under the Childhood Influenza Vaccination Subsidy Scheme and Elderly Vaccination Subsidy Scheme respectively. The Schemes for 2011/12 commenced on September 26, 2011.
The spokesman encouraged the public to receive influenza vaccination early and gain protection before the arrival of the winter flu season. "Healthcare workers who have not yet received the vaccination should get vaccinated as soon as possible, in order to protect themselves and the patients under their care," he said.
A telephone hotline (2125 2125) has been set up to answer public enquiries relating to the vaccination programmes during office hours. Members of the public may also obtain relevant information from the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) website, www.chp.gov.hk.
Ends/Friday, October 28, 2011
Issued at HKT 16:01
NNNN